The Chubby Chaser
by lxlynda
Summary: "if he keeps that up, he'll be big as a house- then no one'll want him!" This was what pushed lovable Choji to leave his home without warning only to return 2 months later,changed.Will everyone like the change? And how will his BFF react to 'new' Choji?


dizzclaimah

I stare at myself in the mirror with pity. The words Ino and Shikamaru exchanged still playing over in my head as I touch my large stomach.

"_Choji, you really shouldn't eat so much- you won't work off all that food in a week," Ino said bluntly._

_Shikamaru and I were out for lunch when she saw us and had to come over to say hi. Of course, she wound up nagging me for the umpteenth time about my weight._

_As usual, I tried to quietly defend myself, but with women like Ino, you have to assert yourself. If she was a man, I would have just beat her ass. Since she was not, I could only sit back until she was done._

_Shikamaru had none of that. About halfway through her rant, he groaned loud enough to shut her up. "Ino, leave him alone. If he wants to eat, let the guy eat. Not everyone likes to starve."_

_She made an insulted noise. "But if he keeps that up, he'll be big as a house- then no one'll want him! I'm just trying to help him out." She put her hands on her hips._

_My best friend sighed at the universal sign of a woman putting her foot down. "Well, I doubt everyone in the whole world thinks like you do, Ino. Plenty of people would like someone with meat on their bones for a change. And if you're just gonna' come here and ruin our lunch, the least you could do is find something else to pick with- all you're doing is being a pain."_

_Ino took a step back, sucking her teeth. "Yeah, yeah. I'll see you guys later. Remember what I said, Choji- I'm seriously trying to help." She flashed a quick smile before leaving._

_Shikamaru sighed. I looked at him, then to my food. '"What's wrong, Choji? " My brown eyes moved to his. "Go on and eat. Don't let her bother you- you're fine the way you are."_

I eye my body again, turning around in the mirror.

_How can this be okay? I'm the only one of my friends that looks like this. I know that I should be proud and if Shikamaru says it's fine, then I shouldn't be worrying, but still…what if Ino was right? Girls don't throw themselves over me like they do Sasuke._

I take a deep breath in and hold it for a moment as I come to a final decision.

"I'm leaving Konoha!" I say to myself.

Shikamaru's P.O.V.

I sigh heavily and throw myself on my bed. I had been out searching for Choji again all day.

My best friend vanished two months ago without word to anyone- including his own family- and since the day he left, I put all my efforts towards locating him.

Being one of little motivation, I'm not used to doing extensive things like this everyday, and for two months straight for that! I've worked myself to the bone today(again), skipped nearly every meal, didn't train at all, and couldn't even stop to talk to Asuma today because I was so busy. I just wanted to sleep.

"Shikamaru! Time for breakfast!"

I jolt out of sleep. Mom was never very considerate in the mornings- if she had to be up and cook for us, we had to be up to hear about it.

I stand up lazily, groaning. _What a drag_.

"So, Shikamaru, how'd last night's search go?" Mom asked when she was done complaining. She always did like Choji, said he had a good head on his shoulders, so she'd been trying to stay up to date.

"The same as every other day."

Both my parents sighed, looking at me with pity. I was depressed, I know, since my best friend just left, but I didn't want- or need- a pity fest.

I pushed my chair out and excused myself from the table.

"Shikamaru, where are you going?" My dad called to me.

"Thanks for breakfast, Mom. I'll see you guys later," I say simply before leaving through the front door. For once, Mom didn't complain about my behavior.

I decide not long into my walk that I don't want to go off on another unsuccessful hunt- there was a limit to everything, there had to be, and, as much as it pained me to think, I just reached mine.

A wind blows around me, urging me forward. I follow it without a second thought. There was something about the leaves flowing by that made me think I had to. I couldn't think why I would need to follow leaves however, so I just went with my instincts.

When I heard footsteps approaching, I looked up from the ground my lifeless eyes had been attached to.

"I'll be damned," was all I could muster.

The person walking towards me was none other than my previously M.I.A. best friend, Choji. Only, it wasn't _exactly_ Choji.

He still _looked_ like Choji, but he differed in the most defining way; he wasn't chubby at all.

No, the boy that stood in front of me was slimmer now. He had lost most of his weight, leaving him to appear taller, more mature and even more handsome( yes, I did say _even more_, implying that I did always believe he was good looking). He was smiling at me with confidence.

I couldn't say anything more.

"Shikamaru," he said fondly before pulling me into a hug. "It feels like forever!"

I wrap my arms around him slowly. "Yeah… what happened to you?"

Choji pulled away, still smiling. "I lost weight, Shikamaru. I knew I could do it and I did. So, what do you think?" He turned in a circle for me and I checked him out.

Of course he looked good- _great_, actually- but I just…it didn't feel like _my_ Choji, my best friend. "You look good, Choji," I tell him, trying to smile back.

His smile got wider. "Thanks. Now, do you think you can take me to see Ino. I want her to see."

I escorted my "new and improved" friend around town to all the villagers. The first place we went (or the first place I convinced him to go to) was to his parents. They were more than relived that their son was safe, but had mixed emotions about his weight loss- after all, the Akimichi's are known for their large figures.

Choji immediately left, however, at his mother's mention of him needing a good meal to fatten him up.

"Mom," he whined, " the whole reason I was gone was so I could lose weight- if you stuff me back up again what'd be the point?"

His dad held back tears(albeit poorly). "Okay, son. If that's how you feel, then we can't do anything about it." He nodded solemnly to his wife to keep her from forcing the food on her only son.

They sadly let their child leave to go flaunt himself, but stopped me very quickly.

"Shikamaru, don't let our boy stay like this," his mother begged.

"Convince him that he was great the way he was- chubby, like the rest of us," his father said.

I nod my head. "That was my plan anyway. We just have to make a pit stop."

"Well, here we are," I say unenthusiastically. Of course, I normally sound like this without effort, but now, it's plainly because I want my best friend to see how much I _don't want_ to do this, yet how I _am doing _it because _he wants _me to.

He couldn't keep the smile off his lips as we walk inside the Yamanka family flower shop and Ino caught a glimpse of him.

"Choji? Is that you?" She asks, raising her eyebrows skeptically.

He smiles proudly. "Yep."

Ino squeals then runs up to him, embracing his new form. "Oh my God, Choji! Your look so good! I told you-don't you feel better now?"

"There was even this girl I met out in the woods."

"See, the chicks are already throwing themselves at you!" She grabbed his cheeks.

"She said that she really liked me. I mean, I didn't even know her!" he smiled again. "But I was pretty happy anyway."

There was a pang in my heart- jealousy. I love Choji, like a brother and sometimes more, but some random girl confesses to him and now he's happy? I have told him so many times that he was fine the way, that I liked him as he used to be. I'm beginning to feel under appreciated.

Ino nodded approvingly. "I'm proud of you, Choji."

I frowned at the way she looked my best friend up. I started to clear my throat, not being able to watch any more. "Well, I promised Choji I'd take him to go see Naruto, Lee and them, so we have to go." I grabbed his arm and pulled him out.

"You did?"

"Yeah I did."

"Oh…okay. Well, bye, Ino."

The girl waved with a puzzled look on her face. She didn't say anything, though. I guess there's a first time for everything.

"Shikamaru, are you okay? You're pulling me kinda' hard."

I was basically dragging Choji behind me as I stomped around Konoha. I didn't really have a place in mind but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

"Shikamaru!" Choji shouted at me. "What's wrong with you?" I let go of his hand slowly and turned to look at him. "You've been acting weird since I got back! Why? What did I do?"

I groaned. "Nothing, Choji," but of course that was a lie.

Choji could tell. " Don't lie to me, Shikamaru," he warned.

I really wasn't up for this. After all those days of searching for my friend and then for him to finally show up and spring his new self on me- it was all looking to be too much for me. "Choji, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Well, that's too bad; you're my best friend and I wanna know why you're upset."

We spent a few minutes in a stare down before I gave up with my trademark sigh. "Choji, it's not that I'm upset or anything, it's just…you went and changed yourself over something so stupid."

"It's not stupid!"

"Yes it is!" I was raising my voice, but I didn't care. I've held my feelings back long enough. "I've told you countless times that you were fine the way you were, but you always listened to Ino! You never listen to me, Choji-"

"I do too."

"Not when it's about the important stuff. Every time Ino told you that no one would like you because of your size, I always told you otherwise. I wasn't lying, Choji. Some people do like people with meat on their bone."

Choji was turning red. He obviously wasn't seeing it my way. "Shikamaru, there is no one in the leaf village that would have found me attractive before-"

"I did."

The words left my mouth before I could think to stop them. We were both left blushing at each other.

Choji continued staring at me until a breeze blew from behind me, coaxing me to move forward.

We were only a few feet apart when he said something to me.

"You…you really liked me? Back when I was chubby?"

"I still do," I said reluctantly.

He blushed more. "Well, why didn't you say something before?"

"I did, Choji. I told you not everyone likes 'em like sticks. And I _did _say you were fine the way you were." I looked my friend in his brown eyes, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Wow. I can't believe that," he spoke slowly. He looked away from me shyly. It was pretty adorable. "What do we do now?"

I took his hand and he looked back at me. "I was thinking we could get some dinner. My treat."

He smiled. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"How about barbeque?"

"I haven't had barbeque since I left.'

"Then you're way overdue, buddy."

We both walked through the village holding hands proudly and (which pains me to admit) making **googlie eyes at each other, just like every old married couple. Boy did that get some stares.

It's been nearly a month since Choji came back and everything's back to normal now. Well, everything except for the fact that we are now dating and my chubby-then-skinny best friend was now putting some weight back on, which was much appreciated on my behalf. I loved Choji either way, but, what can I say, I'm a bit of a chubby-chaser.

As for Choji, he was happier now that he didn't have to worry about Ino constantly harassing him over his weight. The only reason she had for him was the whole "no one'll want you" thing and that was proven null due to the fact that we were together.

I guess I can say that things are great. Since me and Choji are dating and all, we've spent almost all our time outside of missions together. It's kind of a drag, but, hey, it's for Choji. And he's worth it.To people who have exceptionally good grammar, I'm sorry that my verb tense was off- I don't know why I can't decide to stay on one for too long.

So, was it worth it? The story, I mean. Reviews?

**I can't spell very well either _ my bizzle


End file.
